Hinge mechanism

ABSTRACT

A hinge mechanism securing a panel to a case, which mechanism provides for rectilinear and pivotal movement of the panel relative to the case.

0 United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,886,626

Fogle 1 June 3, 1975 [54] HINGE MECHANISM 2,303,147 11/1942 Tinnerman16/184 2,486,557 11/1949 Flora 16/114 [75] Inventor F0g|e1 Mounmm Lakes2,706,307 4/1955 Anderson 16/190 [73] Assignee: Q.V.S., 1nc., EastOrange, NJ. Primary Examiner Robert L Wolfe [22] Filed: Nov. 28, 1973Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Troutman pp NO: 419,681 Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Rudolph J. .lurlck [52] US. Cl. 16/184 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. ClE051 1/12 [58] Field of Search 16/180, 184, 128, 147 A hinge mechanismsecuring a panel to a se, which mechanism provides for rectilinear andpivotal move- [56] References Cit d ment of the panel relative to thecase.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,601 2/1926 Richards 312/263 5 9 Drawmgfigures l6 l7 3 0 J L J I PMENTEDJUHQ 1915 3.886526 SHEET 2 HINGEMECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain electrical instrumentscomprise a case carrying electrical components and circuitry and a panelwhich has printed thereon technical information pertinent to theparticular instrument. The panel is recessed from an open end of thecase and normally covers the components and circuitry which aresupported on the base of case. The panel is latched in such normalposition and is secured to the case by hinge means whereby the panel maybe rotated into an upright position affording access to the contents ofthe case by the user. Various latching and hinge arrangements areavailable for the stated purposes but these involve a relatively largenumber of separate parts and require costly assembly procedures.

A hinge mechanism made in accordance with this invention is of simple,economical construction and is assembled quickly at minimum cost. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hinge mechanism comprises a shaft carriedby the panel and having end portions supported by flat surfaces whichafford limited lateral displacement of the shaft. Spring means,positioned between an edge of the panel and an inner wall of the case,maintain a pressure on the panel and tend to displace the panel,linearly, from such inner surface. This pressure serves to retain anopposite end portion of the panel in a slot provided at the oppositeinner wall of the case, thereby to retain the panel in the normal,latched position. Linear displacement of the panel against the action ofthe spring means, unlatches the panel so that it can be rotated aboutthe shaft to an upright position.

An object of this invention is the provision of an improved hingemechanism connecting a panel to a case, which mechanism permits pivotaland rectilinear movement of the panel with respect to the case.

An object of this invention is the provision of a hinge mechanismconnecting a panel to a case, which mechanism comprises means forrotating the panel between an upright position and a normal positionsubstantially parallel to the base of the case, and spring means whichserves to maintain the panel in the upright position and to press thepanel into a latching arrangement when the panel is in the normalposition.

The above-stated and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description when taken with theaccompanying drawings. It will be understood, however. that the drawingsare for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as definingthe scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latterpurpose to the claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings wherein like referencecharacters denote like parts in the several views:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a panel which is secured to a case bya hinge mechanism made in accordance with this invention. the panelbeing shown in the normal position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view showing the panel in theraised position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top plan view showing the upper leftcorner of the case and panel as viewed in FIG. 1:

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but with the panel removed from the case;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, isometric view of one of the springs;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 8 -8 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7 but showing the panel in the raisedposition.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, thepanel 10 is secured to the case 11 by a hinge mechanism affordingrectilinear and pivotal movement of the panel relative to the case. Thehinge mechanism comprises a pair generally U-shaped springs 12 and 12,see spring 12 shown in FIG. 5. One leg of each spring is in engagementwith the inner wall of the case. the other leg of each spring being inengagement with a side edge of the panel when the panel is in the normalposition as shown in FIG. 1. Aligned slots l3, 13' are formed in the endportions of the panel and the corner portions of the panel are offset atright angles to the plane of the panel, thereby forming tabs 14 and 14'which extend downwardly into the case as viewed in FIG. 1. A shaft 15passes through aligned clearance holes formed in these tabs and the endportions of the shaft extend under the rectangular plate 16, 16', whichplates are secured in fixed positions by the fastening screws l7, 17',respectively, A more detailed description of the construction andoperative relationship of the various components forming the hingemechanism will be given below. It is here pointed out that the springs12, 12 provide a biasing force tending to displace the panel toward theprojection 18 extending from the inner wall of the case. Preferably, thecase is made of a suitable plastic and the projection 18 is formedintegrally therewith. Referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that theprojection 18 has a relatively thick-walled lower portion 19 and atapered upper portion 20, which portions terminate in a slot 21accommodating the edge portion of the panel 10. As shown in FIG. 6, thepanel is in the normal position and is latched in such position by thepressure exerted against the opposite side of the panel by the springsl2, 12, FIG. 1. As will be described, below, the hinge mechanism is soarranged that the panel can be displaced to the left, as viewed in FIGS.1 and 6. The range of such panel displacement is sufficient to permitthe right side edge of the panel to clear the overhanging portion of theprojection 18, whereby the panel can be rotated in a counterclockwisedirection about the shaft 15, FIG. 1, to the raised position shown inFIG. 2. A finger hole 22 is provided in the panel to facilitate suchlinear displacement of the panel by the user.

The configuration of the spring 12 is shown in FIG. 5, such springhaving a relatively long arm 23 and a short arm 24, the latter armincluding an integral, laterally-extending tab 25. The other spring 12',FIG. 1, is similar to the spring 12 except that the laterallyexteridingtab of the spring 12 extends in a direction opposite to that of the tab25 of the spring 12.

Reference now is made to FIG. 3 which is an enlarged. top plan viewshowing the upper left corner of the case and panel as viewed in FIG. 1.The spring 12 has its base portion positioned within a pocket formed onthe base of the case 10. The long spring arm 23 is in engagement withthe side edge of the panel 10, while the short spring arm 24 is inengagement with the inner wall of the case. The spring tab 25 extendsunder the rectangular plate 16 which is secured in fixed position by thefastening screw 17 threaded into a hole formed in an integral bossformed in the corner of the case.

The pocket for the spring 12 is shown in FIG. 4 which is similar to FIG.3 but with the panel, spring, rectangular plate and fastening screwremoved. The spring pocket, identified by the numeral 33, is formed bythe integral ridges 26, 27 and 28, and the encompassed portion of theinner wall of the case. These ridges extend upwardly a relatively shortdistance from the case base, thereby to retain the spring in arelatively fixed position while not interfering with the required springaction. Also visible in FIG. 4, is the integral, corner boss 29, saidboss having a flat surface 30 which supports the rectangular plate 16shown in FIG. 3. A threaded hole 31 formed in this surface of the bossreceives the fastening screw 17 shown in FIG. 3. The corner portion ofthe boss is recessed to provide a flat surface 32 which supports theshaft 15 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3. Thisview shows the height of the ridge 28 of the spring pocket, thedownwardly-depending tab 14 of the panel 10, and the shaft 15 whichpasses through a clearance hole formed in said tab. The end portion ofthe shaft is supported by the flat surface 32 which forms the bottomwall of the recess formed in the boss 29. It will be apparent that theshaft will roll along the surface 32 when the panel is displaced to theright and that the spring exerts a pressure against the side edge of thepanel, thereby to retain the panel in the normal, latched position, ashas been described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 8, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG.3, shows the rectangular plate'16 overlying the shaft and the tab of thespring, said plate being secured to the boss 29 by the fastening screw17. The plate 16 serves to retain spring in the pocket 33 and tomaintain the shaft in proper assem- LII downward pressure now applied tothe panel results in a displacement of the panel and shaft in thedirection of the spring. When the edge of the panel is aligned with theslot 21, FIG. 6, the spring action causes the panel to snap into theslot.

While a detailed description has been given with specific reference tothe spring 12 and the components associated therewith, the spring 12'and its associated components are of similar construction and assembly,whereby the two springs act in unison as the panel is moved from one tothe other position.

I claim:

1. A hinge mechanism securing a panel to a case and comprising,

a. a pair of fixed supports positioned at two internal, adjacent cornersof the case, said supports having flat surfaces lying in a plane spacedfrom and substantially parallel to the plane of the base of the case,

b. a shaft rotatably carried by the panel along one edge thereof, saidshaft having end portions supported on the said flat surfaces and saidshaft having a diameter less than the length of the flat surfaces takenin a direction normal to the shaft axis,

0. means limiting lateral displacement of the shaft in a direction awayfrom the said flat surface,

d. spring means disposed between an inner wall of the case and the saidone edge of the panel, said spring means normally applying pressure tothe panel in a direction away from the said inner wall of the case, and

e. latching means disposed at the opposite inner wall of the case forsecuring the panel in a plane substantially parallel to that of the baseof the case.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein the corner portions ofthe panel are offset at substantially right angles to the plane of thepanel, and wherein the said shaft passes through aligned holes formed inthe offset portions of the panel.

3. The invention as recited in claim 1, including means forming a pairof pockets on the base of the case, and wherein the said spring meanscomprises a pair of generally U-shaped springs having base portionsdisposed in said'pockets.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein the said pockets areproximate to the said fixed supports, and wherein each spring includes atab disposed under the said means limiting lateral displacement of theshaft.

5. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein the said latching meanscomprises a projection extending inwardly of the case, said projectionhaving a tapered portion terminating in a slot which receives theopposite edge of the panel.

1. A hinge mechanism securing a panel to a case and comprising, a. apair of fixed supports positioned at two internal, adjacent corners ofthe case, said supports having flat surfaces lying in a plane spacedfrom and substantially parallel to the plane of the base of the case, b.a shaft rotatably carried by the panel along one edge thereof, saidshaft having end portions supported on the said flat surfaces and saidshaft having a diameter less than the length of the flat surfaces takenin a direction normal to the shaft axis, c. means limiting lateraldisplacement of the shaft in a direction away from the said flatsurface, d. spring means disposed between an inner wall of the case andthe said one edge of the panel, said spring means normally applyingpressure to the panel in a direction away from the said inner wall ofthe case, and e. latching means disposed at the opposite inner wall ofthe case for securing the panel in a plane substantially parallel tothat of the base of the case.
 1. A hinge mechanism securing a panel to acase and comprising, a. a pair of fixed supports positioned at twointernal, adjacent corners of the case, said supports having flatsurfaces lying in a plane spaced from and substantially parallel to theplane of the base of the case, b. a shaft rotatably carried by the panelalong one edge thereof, said shaft having end portions supported on thesaid flat surfaces and said shaft having a diameter less than the lengthof the flat surfaces taken in a direction normal to the shaft axis, c.means limiting lateral displacement of the shaft in a direction awayfrom the said flat surface, d. spring means disposed between an innerwall of the case and the said one edge of the panel, said spring meansnormally applying pressure to the panel in a direction away from thesaid inner wall of the case, and e. latching means disposed at theopposite inner wall of the case for securing the panel in a planesubstantially parallel to that of the base of the case.
 2. The inventionas recited in claim 1, wherein the corner portions of the panel areoffset at substantially right angles to the plane of the panel, andwherein the said shaft passes through aligned holes formed in the offsetportions of the panel.
 3. The invention as recited in clAim 1, includingmeans forming a pair of pockets on the base of the case, and wherein thesaid spring means comprises a pair of generally U-shaped springs havingbase portions disposed in said pockets.
 4. The invention as recited inclaim 3, wherein the said pockets are proximate to the said fixedsupports, and wherein each spring includes a tab disposed under the saidmeans limiting lateral displacement of the shaft.